U.S. THREATENS 'SEVERE' RESPONSE AS IRAN ATTACKS ISRAEL

More than 200 ballistic missiles rain down in huge bombardment

- Robert Kellaway and Michael Knowles

THE world watched in horror as Iran fired more than 200 rockets into Israel last night despite a US warning of a "severe" response.

Waves of ballistic missiles lit up the sky over Jerusalem and Tel Aviv as air raid sirens howled and residents took shelter. Most of the rockets were shot down but some buildings were hit.

There were no initial reports of deaths in the bombardment - but at least six people were killed in a synchronised gun and knife rampage in Jaffa. One US official warned that Washington would support Israel in defending itself following the missile blitz.

Ali Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei had personally ordered the missile barrage after Israel's army surged into southern Lebanon in an all-out offensive to defeat Iranian-backed Hezbollah forces threatening it from the north.

The ground onslaught itself followed days of heavy Israeli air strikes and booby-trap walkie-talkie explosions which have killed most of the terror group's leadership.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed Iran will now pay the price for its retaliation.

"Iran made a big mistake tonight and it will pay for it," he said as he gathered his security cabinet for a late meeting.

Netanyahu said the missile attack was a failure and that Iran would soon learn a painful lesson in the same way as enemies in Gaza, Lebanon and other places.

"Whoever attacks us, we attack them," he said.

Sir Keir Starmer last night condemned Iran's assault and underlined the UK's support for Israel, saying that he was "deeply concerned the region is on the brink".

In a televised address from No10 the Prime Minister said: "We stand with Israel and we recognise her right to self-defence in the face of this aggression. Iran must stop these attacks. Together with its proxies like Hezbollah, Iran has menaced the Middle East for far too long.